Ace of Swords
Hello,
I have now released my New Adult Victorian Vampire Romance, Ace of Swords, Book 2 in The Vampire Swords Trilogy. It is available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. It will be released on Barnes & Noble, Kobo etc in due course and will also eventually be available as an Audio book! Check out the blurb and a small excerpt below.
Scottish Highlands, 1893
The Knight of Swords travels to a castle in the Scottish Highlands to a procure a cure for his Queen from its owner, Lycan leader, Marcus Duart. While there, a masked witch holds him in her power and tricks him in to feeding on her poisonous blood. His demonic vampire nature is asserted over his human one enabling her to seduce and command him under her spell.
Juliet wakes and finding her powers growing stronger, battles the witch to retrieve Nathan. But when her enemy commands the Knight of Swords to kill his Queen, she has no choice but to flee. Severely injured, her army taken under the witch’s spell, the eighteen year old Vampire Queen must rely solely on herself and the protection of Gabriel and Nathan’s younger brother, the Magician. However, she soon discovers their motives to ensure her safety are not all honourable and she is in danger.
The witch does not count on the strong bond between the young lovers destined to spend eternity together. The demon seeks out Juliet, kidnapping her from Gabriel to protect her from the witch who pursues them and those of her knights who conspire against her.
The demon inside Nathan is dangerous, unstable, calculating and cold. Still at the mercy of the challengers, Juliet has no choice but to denounce him and take refuge with a new protector, the Lycan Marcus Duart and his clan. Neither the demon inside or the human in Nathan will let her go and both will not rest until their Queen is by their side even if they have to force her to be. But Marcus has other plans for Juliet.
The Knight of Swords travels to a castle in the Scottish Highlands to a procure a cure for his Queen from its owner, Lycan leader, Marcus Duart. While there, a masked witch holds him in her power and tricks him in to feeding on her poisonous blood. His demonic vampire nature is asserted over his human one enabling her to seduce and command him under her spell.
Juliet wakes and finding her powers growing stronger, battles the witch to retrieve Nathan. But when her enemy commands the Knight of Swords to kill his Queen, she has no choice but to flee. Severely injured, her army taken under the witch’s spell, the eighteen year old Vampire Queen must rely solely on herself and the protection of Gabriel and Nathan’s younger brother, the Magician. However, she soon discovers their motives to ensure her safety are not all honourable and she is in danger.
The witch does not count on the strong bond between the young lovers destined to spend eternity together. The demon seeks out Juliet, kidnapping her from Gabriel to protect her from the witch who pursues them and those of her knights who conspire against her.
The demon inside Nathan is dangerous, unstable, calculating and cold. Still at the mercy of the challengers, Juliet has no choice but to denounce him and take refuge with a new protector, the Lycan Marcus Duart and his clan. Neither the demon inside or the human in Nathan will let her go and both will not rest until their Queen is by their side even if they have to force her to be. But Marcus has other plans for Juliet.
I ran out onto the
docks, only to be startled by a hansom cab. I shrieked with fright
believing I was about to be run down. I was brought to an abrupt
stop. It proved fatal to my flight from the Taleian men. I turned
hearing two of them jump down from the rooftops to land at my feet. I
backed away towards the fishing boats in the water that bumped lightly against
the sides as they barred their teeth and hissed at me.
The fog was thick
and heavy around us now and I sought in vain to hide myself from them in
it. I threw energy from my mind towards them that was sufficient to
propel my would be assailants back and up in the air to land against the brick
wall of a building. I turned to run along the docks and into the fog but
another two men appeared in front of me. One of them held a sword and was
clearly the knight who meant to make me his own, the rest were simply party to
his plan.
I threw my energy
once more as they advanced upon me and they were thrown backwards to slide
along the ground. I looked frantically for something to aim at my
original assailants who were upon me once more, fully recovered from my assault
upon them. There was a heavy ship rope lying discarded. It was all
I could find. I gave it life with my mind. It unravelled from its tight
coil and snaked upwards into the wet air.
I forced the rope
to coil tightly around one of them. He was brought to his knees and with
another push of my mind I slid him across the damp ground and down towards the
dock edge past me and into the water.
I grew confident
by the act but it was to be short lived as the other Taleian jumped to land
directly in front of me before I could think of what to do next. He
reached out to take my arm as he grinned widely at me baring his incisors with
menace. I whirled around sensing the knight and his companion behind me
again. But he was joined by two others this time. I trembled with
fear I fought hard not to show.
The knight and the
Taleians circled me like the prey that I undeniably was to them. I was
about to change into a animal to fight when I noticed the handsome knight no
longer held his sword but he addressed me. His accent was French and
highly educated. I turned to view him with haughty indignation. It
only served to amuse him by the widening of the smile that played upon his
lips.
‘Your majesty,’ he
smiled bowing from his waist.
‘Your respect is
mocking,’ I told him fiercely. I thought of Queen Victoria and how she
would deal with such an intolerable situation. ‘And I am not amused,
sir.’
I closed my eyes
and inwardly cursed when I heard his annoying and displeasing laughter.
‘Your beauty is breathtaking
and your temperament as fiery as the rumours would have it. But I did not
expect to find you so young.’
I kept turning in
my own circle watching the movement of the men around me in the hopes of
anticipating their intentions.
‘I am to be eighteen
in only a few days. Do not think that my young age will give you an
advantage, sir.’
More laughter.
‘You are quite
magnificent. I would love to idly chat with you all night my beautiful
Queen but we must to business. I do hope that you will simply surrender
yourself to me, I have no wish to hurt you,’ he informed me ever so politely.
I smiled with
sarcasm.
‘And I haven’t
even had the courtesy of your name, sir.’
‘My apologies for
my rudeness. My name is Gerard Valoire and I am to be your new Knight of
Swords and mate.’
‘The position is
already taken, Monsieur Valoire.’
Another smile but
there was impatience in his tone when he spoke again.
‘You are not yet
joined to Nathan Valancourt. Besides he has left you vulnerable and
unprotected. He has failed in his duty to you and is clearly and unworthy
mate. You are mine to take.’
‘I choose to be
alone, Monsieur Valoire. And you have not established a bond with my
mind. That is one of the requirements before a joining may take
place. Besides, I will not be made to yield and bow under the control of
a Knight who fancies himself King and above me.’
Gerard’s features
tightened and he now looked down upon me with annoyance.
‘As Queen, you
must be counselled and protected. Times have changed. Bonds are
unnecessary. With the shortage of female Taleians we must take a mate
where we can. Your power is dangerous and untamed in the simple hands of
a female. She is not a born leader. You cannot be without a mate.’
‘You mean
ruled. And I beg to differ, sir. Do not insult my sex. If a
female was not a natural born leader than why would she have been given such
power?’
‘It is beyond my
comprehension but this is the way it has been for centuries. She must be
ruled it is for her own protection. The Knight of Swords must counsel and
assist his Queen in matters of state and be her master just as a husband is of
his wife in the human world. It is Taleian law.’
‘It is a law that
must be changed just as the human one must be.’
‘And you must
learn your place, child. You will be taken and you will be mastered like
every other Queen of Talus,’ he shouted to me. ‘You may keep using your
powers against us and I have no doubt that you are formidable but you lack the
physical strength of us males and eventually you will be hunted and brought
down. I will not give up and you will be broken to my will by the time I
take you.’
Fear of his words
began to overwhelm me. I shape shifted into a tiger, just as I had done
with Xavier and charged for Gerard’s throat. He stood his ground and
quickly reached for a weapon one of his men handed him. I had not seen
it, the man had hidden it from me. It was a crossbow. I had made a
grave error. He was smiling as though he had anticipated my attack as he
shot me with a heavy bolt. I fell to the ground unable to retain my
form. My vision blurred further and I felt a sickness rise within me as I
tried to stand. I had not felt this way since I had consumed the blood of
an animal. I looked down at the bolt protruding from my chest and confirmed
my suspicions when I smelt the animal blood it was covered in.
My torment was not
to end. As I lay there trying to move the men surrounded me and Gerard
loaded the crossbow once more, shooting me again, his face devoid of any
emotion as though I were a mere animal he had hunted in the woods. A
third shot engulfed my body in a debilitating numbness. Gerard bent down
and smiled at me. He was triumphant his plan had worked. I felt a
fool.
‘You fought well
but you are no match for us knights. We are a cunning lot.’ He
patted my arm. ‘Do not worry little one I will carry you to Paris where
you will live in splendour fit for a Queen and as long as you behave and do as
I ask we will get along famously. I hope I never have to hurt you again
to ensure your obedience. But I am sure it won’t happen as you now know
how far I will go if you give me cause, chérie.’
I gave a strangled
cry of angry torment and turned my face away. I and my new life of
freedom had come to a frightful end. I was to become a slave. My
sobs were almost deafening when he pushed each of the bolts in further and
twisted them to make sure the poison was well inside my system. Then he pulled
the bolts from my flesh without care. I wanted to kill him.
Two of Gerard’s
assistants were human. They began securing a fishing net around my body
in which they placed small pieces of iron. They tied the end at my feet
with rope and I began to run a fever and felt close to fainting.
Gerard stood and
prepared to leave. One of the humans bent to pick up the bottom of the
net that trailed away from my bound feet ready to drag my body along the
cold damp ground. But Gerard shook his head and took hold of his burden.
‘Thank you,
Jacques, but I should like to carry my trophy,’ he mocked. ‘Time for you
to start your new life with me in Paris, Juliet.’
My captor had won
and now he was claiming his prize. He appeared approving of my silence
and began dragging my body along the dock into the fog. I made every
attempt to keep my face from the ground but it scraped and bruised along the
coarseness of the net and the cobbled path. I did not want to belong to
anyone but Nathan and a life where another cold stranger was forced upon me
would drive me to find a way to die. That would be my escape and Nathan’s
proof of my loyalty and undying love if he ever became whole again.
Gerard continued
to drag my aching body over the cobbles along the docks to an unknown
destination and into the fog that rolled over the Thames and into the city. But
he was to suddenly stop. I could see his shoulders tense as we all heard
the sound of footsteps in the fog ahead coming towards us in a determined
manner.
Gerard ordered the
two human men forward to investigate. Each of them drew a knife from
their breast pocket as we watched them disappear into the ghostly white air
that swirled around us to obscure our vision of what lay ahead. Our
heightened Taleian vision was of no use in the fog, only the night. There
was no sound apart from their own footsteps now and the sound of the water and
boats lapping against the side of the dock.
Silence reigned
for a minute or more and then the distant cry of a man was heard and the sharp
slice of a sword moving through the damp air. The sound was followed by
the bounce of an object hitting the ground and rolling out of the fog towards
us. I gave a startled gasp when the human’s decapitated head
appeared. Another slice of air and the next human’s head quickly followed
with enough force to roll and touch Gerard’s foot. With an angry growl
Gerard kicked the head away from him and out into the Thames.
‘Give me my
sword,’ he demanded of the Taleian that carried it.
The other two
Taleians took a defensive stance as Gerard raised his sword ready to strike at
his unseen opponent and the determined footsteps continued once more towards
us.
A tall shadow
emerged from the fog in the dim gas light. He was immaculately dressed as
a gentleman of birth with an aristocratic elegance about him that no other
seemed to bear. Relief flooded the blood that still pumped through my
veins and my heart swelled with love.
Nathan was a
terrifying haunting vision as he emerged from the night. His eyes were
dark and were narrowed in anger at Gerard. For a moment, they were
drawn to my pathetic captive figure and I felt the spark of his fear for
me. It was only brief for it turned to explosive anger.
‘Another
challenger?’ Gerard hissed. ‘I got here first. She is mine and I am
taking her.’
Nathan’s eyes
widened.
‘You dare to take
my Queen and defile her?’
Gerard gave a
small nervous laugh. ‘Who are you to call her your Queen?’
His question
appeared mute, for his curious and anxious tone told everyone he already knew
who Nathan was to us all.
Nathan’s voice was
dark and soft as melted chocolate when he spoke. It only served to
heighten the menace of his position.
‘I am the Knight
of Swords.’
If you are new to The Vampire Swords Series, check out Book One, Knight of Swords currently on promotion for $0.99 on Amazon. It is also available on Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Scribd, Apple etc.
I am currently choosing a narrator for the audiobook version. Check out the blurb below.
Victorian London, 1893.
Lady Juliet Gaudain is turning eighteen and is to inherit a vast fortune and shipping line from her deceased parents. But that is not all she will inherit.
She quickly learns her father was a warrior from an ancient race of Britons with supernatural powers who were cursed by the Druids to become vampires. Forced to hide within normal society through the ages, they mated with humans and created a hybrid race. Juliet must now complete her transformation in to a vampire and ascend her throne to become the powerful Queen of the Taleians and unite her people scattered across the world with the aid of a mate fate has provided for her as protector.
Lord Nathan Valancourt is more than eager to accept his new role and title of Knight of Swords as the beautiful Taleian Queen's, protector, advisor and leader of her Army. But first he must fight a series of dangerous sword duels with other nobleman vampires who have been given the right to challenge his claim to the Queen and take her from him and force her to join with them.
Can Nathan defeat the devious challengers and protect his Queen from the cruel vampire who would destroy Juliet to possess her power? And consulate his blood relationship with her that is destined to last for eternity?
Lady Juliet Gaudain is turning eighteen and is to inherit a vast fortune and shipping line from her deceased parents. But that is not all she will inherit.
She quickly learns her father was a warrior from an ancient race of Britons with supernatural powers who were cursed by the Druids to become vampires. Forced to hide within normal society through the ages, they mated with humans and created a hybrid race. Juliet must now complete her transformation in to a vampire and ascend her throne to become the powerful Queen of the Taleians and unite her people scattered across the world with the aid of a mate fate has provided for her as protector.
Lord Nathan Valancourt is more than eager to accept his new role and title of Knight of Swords as the beautiful Taleian Queen's, protector, advisor and leader of her Army. But first he must fight a series of dangerous sword duels with other nobleman vampires who have been given the right to challenge his claim to the Queen and take her from him and force her to join with them.
Can Nathan defeat the devious challengers and protect his Queen from the cruel vampire who would destroy Juliet to possess her power? And consulate his blood relationship with her that is destined to last for eternity?
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